Star-Crossed: A Riverdale Bughead short story
by GingerIsTheCat
Summary: Just rated Teen because of the subject matter. I tried to deal with it as delicately as possible, but I really felt like this needed to be addressed somehow. Betty and Jughead's romance is in full bloom, when Jughead's asexuality starts to effect their relationship. Lot's of fluff n' stuff, but I'm also focusing on resolving this issue. Headcannon. :P Tell me what you think.


The dark of night was rapidly settling on the town of Riverdale, and once again Jughead had insisted on walking her home. Not that she minded, though; she always loved a chance to spend some nice quiet time with Jughead, just talking and enjoying the warm summer air. But this evening she had something on her mind.

"Juggie?" she said biting her lip.

Yes Betty?

I've been wondering...

What?

Why do I always kiss you first?

What are you talking about Bets? I kissed you first-

And then after that I was always the one to kiss you. And when you did you always got so into it, it was like you were trying to prove something to someone or something, not like you just wanted to." She said as she paced around deliberating with her hand before turning to face him. "...And then there was always this moment of hesitation….". she said shaking her ponytail.

Betty began to look distressed. Jughead panicked.

She went on " What happened? Are we not working or -" she asked tilting her head with a look of pained confusion forming across her face.

He turned to put his hands on her shoulders and look deeply into her clear blue eyes. "Of course we are, Betty." He dropped his hands and turned away to stuff them in pockets and look down broodingly. "Geesh, I was afraid this would happen.

What do you mean Juggy?

"Well... Betty," he started slowly "you know I've never been all that crazy about girls and romance..."

Yes.

But you were different

"Which is why you kissed me?" She asked hopefully.

Kind of, but not exactly. See, I only did it because I thought that was the only way to get the message across. Because I thought that's the "thing to do" when you like a girl.

"I don't understand Juggy. If you like me like that, why don't you want to kiss me?" That last part, and especially the innocent way she said it, with that hurt look, jabbed into his heart like an arrow.

I do like you Betty, so much that I do really want to be in that type of relationship with you, but I'm just not into that other stuff.

"I see." Betty said somewhat sadly, with some other emotions mixed in that Jughead couldn't quite read.

I guess you won't want to be with me now, huh? You'll go back to drooling over Archie. I knew I could never compete with him.

Is that why you took so long to make a move? I mean, to tell me you liked me?

That and he was my best friend, Bets, what else could I do? I had to be sure he wasn't interested.

Oh Jughead,

You still didn't answer my question, Betty.

Betty looked down in her sad thoughtful way as they walked along. "Oh, Juggy, I have to think about it. I mean, we were already best friends, so why bother with the romance if you're not interested in most of what it entails?"

He looked at her sideways in his typical serious manner with his intense dark brown eyes softly trained on her. "Because, Betty, I love you, and I don't want you running off with another guy. I want you to be with _me_." he said frankly.

And I don't think I want to be with another guy, Juggy. If that's what you want, I'll be willing to try to make it work out. You shouldn't feel pressured to be physical. You don't have to kiss me if it makes you uncomfortable.

Jughead let out the breath he had been holding into an anxious sigh "I know this won't be easy for you Betty. You aren't asexual like me... I feel like you deserve more."

Juggy, maybe that's not even something that I _should_ be into right now. Look where it got Polly. Why can't we just enjoy the innocence of this time in our lives. There's enough pressure to grow up as it is, and for me it's coming from all sides right now.

But someday Betty, you will want more.

Juggy, do you realize that if I was with any other guy I would be under pressure to do stuff like that to keep him? Did you even think that this might be a relief for me, to not be under that constant pressure, that tension?

I never knew you felt that way Betty.

Well I do. To be honest, I hated feeling rushed to kiss Archie just to have a chance at competing with Veronica. I prize the opportunity to develop a relationship with someone without building it on physical stuff first. With you, I know it's real. I love you Juggy, and it's based on so much more than physical lust. Why do we have to let the world's ideas determine what our relationship should be?

But, even so, someday Betty...

I don't know about someday, Juggy. let's just take it one day at a time.

"Ok, Betty."

They walked a distance.

"Hey Bets?"

"Yeah?"

He smirked shrewdly at her. "You know, I'm not exactly revolted by the idea of kissing you, especially when I see how happy it makes you. That's what I always got out of it, seeing you light up afterwards. That's what made me smile afterwards. I'm just not interested in that sort of thing, myself. But I wouldn't be against the occasional kiss and cuddle.

Betty looked up a bit and turned in happy surprise. "You would do that for me Jughead? You know you don't have to."

"But I want to, Betty. I want you to be happy." He said resting a hand on her shoulder.

She knit her brows in worry. "Ok, Juggy, but if you ever change your mind" - Betty stressed.

He smiled reassuringly " I'll let you know."

They walked for a minute before Betty broke the awkward silence with a chuckle "Goodness knows the last thing we need is more pressure to grow up."

Hah, yeah. I always got it from Ethel.

Remember when I briefly dated Reggie last fall?

"Yeah" Jughead said, preferring not to remember the pain it had brought him.

"Nothing ever happened, but I always felt pressured. I always got labeled the 'boring girl next door' because of it, when I just wanted to be myself. I don't get that with you, and I'm glad." At this she happily laid her head on his shoulder.

"We make a pretty good couple then, I guess."

"What will we ever argue about?" Betty asked sweetly with her blue eyes smiling up at him.

Jughead shrugged."Your cooking, probably."

Betty smirked at him and lightly fist bumped his arm. "Who says I'll be doing the cooking, Mr. Gourmet?"

Hey, I'm happy with a burger and fries. It's the quantity I'm worried about.

Betty stopped and grabbed his arm gently. "Look Juggy" she said with delight, pointing out a nightingale that had perched in a nearby tree and begun to sing. Jughead watched it with her, smiling contently until it flew away. It was simple moments like this, spent alone with Betty, that he had always enjoyed most. It gave him a strange feeling of peace.

As he looked over at her strolling with him in the moonlight, he smiled to himself when he saw that Betty was happy too.


End file.
